The ramblings of a pilgrim through time, space, and life.

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Hurricanes and week

It has been another long week of slaving away at work. I actually quite enjoy it. It will surely be a relief when we recover from taking a month
off and working. We dipped into our savings and spent nearly all of in in this endeavor. The move itself took half of it, and then I had the time in
training and licensing for work. This week I made over $500. Which I think is doing pretty darn well seeing I only worked 4 days. Today was a complete loss for work. There was no way I could reasonably drive all day, and be in and out of the car to homes. I was a soaked puppy after just going into the office. I figured out we probably got more rain from Ernesto than the Paul, Idaho gets in an entire year. Anyhow, if I can work consistently like this the rest of the year, we should have our savings back in place and saving more for future rainy days (literally!).

We are fortunate enough to live in a neighbornhood where we don’t have to worry about flooding. However, there are others in the area who definitely were not so lucky. There were a bunch of homes evacuated in northern Richmond. All day the rained has seemed to just pour. There is this constant roaring in the distance which is unfamiliar to me. I assume it is the wind of what is taking place elsewhere. It is a strange noise. The
wind has been gusty, but nothing too much where we are. Driving earlier it was a fit at times with the wind and rain. It was hard to even drive 30 at a couple of points.

I have been forwarded an article several times about President Bush meeting with President Hinckley for some breakfast. There is a picture of President Bush with the First Presidency. I really found the picture captivating. I wonder what they were talking about. I wonder why he was visiting with them. I could hope that it had to do with a President seeking counsel from a Prophet, but I seem to not think that was what was taking place. Sure would give great hope to this nation if such were the case.

Another thing I wanted to toss in. I have been conversing with a co-worker about the church. I have really enjoyed it. What a great missionary opportunity and more, it refreshes my mind on being a missionary. From his questions, I basically gave him the old first discussion this morning. I gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon and the Bible. It was great. When he asked me about what the prophet had to say, I told him about General Conference. He said he wants to watch it with us, but made it clear we would have loads of questions from him. I told him that was completely fine and I welcomed it. Now, we need to find out how we are going to get General Conference in the house and watch it. He has some pretty big issues about revelation. He says he cannot believe everything is coincidence and there must be a God. But is confused as whither is truth. I keep telling him about revelation and how the Lord will answer. He keeps asking me that if he prays if Moroni will come to visit him. He seems to want a big answer. I keep warning him that isn’t what he wants as that usually entails a pretty big responsibility. He also wants to know why President Hinckley can get revelation for him and I cannot. I suppose our next conversation will be about the order of heaven and priesthood. He keeps asking me why the Lord has so many conflicting reports. Budda, Muslim, and others. He queries me about Mohammad and if he was really a prophet. I never have had that question before. I remembered the First Presidency Statement from like the 70’s about all religions having good and whole principles. I told him it was possible Mohammad was a prophet, but so far the Lord had not seen fit to tie him into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He asked me if he would. I said it was likely we would some day know the exact accuracy of Mohammad being a prophet, but for now, the Lord had not spoken on that matter. That was the best I could come up with. But in the entailing conversating, it was easy to show that none of these religions out there, excepting the Pope, had any claim to revelation or a prophet. He is struggling to get his head around what official doctrines are of a religion and how they are different from what the people might believe. I took him on a walk through Calvin, Wesley, Luther, and other important people in preparing for the work. He found that most fascinating. It was rather enlightening to myself as well! He was impressed by Wesley and his methodical approach and temperance in preparing for the Lord’s church to return. It did drive the point home how much of Wesley did is no longer practiced, like the no drinking of alcohol. Marc’s questions take us all over the religious spectrum. We discussed the 3 kingdoms of glory the other day. He really struggled with that, and then almost panicked that only in the celestial kingdom would we get our family. Today though, he announced that was completely logical but wanted to know how in the world heaven and hell, which was two worlds, was confused with three. We walked through the delineation between heaven and hell, prison and paradise. We did not get to complete it as we ran out of time. He did ask about those who didn’t hear the gospel and if they would go to hell. Guess we will move onto temple work and redeeming the dead next. He keeps emphasizing how expansive this all is, and how impressive that we have answers to all these questions. He is amazed at the time it must take to learn all these things. I tell him it is an ongoing thing our religion requires of us. To learn and encompass all truth. We shall see what he asks next. I went through and highlighted probably 100 different passages in the Book of Mormon and Bible. He said he would glance through it. I am sure he will have more questions. It has really been loads of fun and quite the adventure. I surely hope it will take his soul elsewhere. If he were to join the church and go to the temple, I would feel it was more successful than the entire mission. After all, I know of no souls who I helped teach who are active, other than children. All converts I can keep track of are not active, which very much pains me. I surely hope one day they will return. This experience is giving me hope that I might declare with Alma, “and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.”

Lastly, a couple of scriptures on the immigration subject that I threw together last night for a friend. Hope it might be of some value to someone.

Exo 22:21
Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him, for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Lev 19:33-34
And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Exo 23:9
Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Lev 24:22
Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the Lord your God.

Deut 10:19
Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Deut 24:14
Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy
gates.

Gen 17:8
And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and there I will be their God.

Josh 8:35
There was not a work of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.